DEPED CORE VALUES AND STUDENTS’ SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: BASIS FOR VALUES PROGRAM RESTORATION

In the context of a dynamic educational landscape, understanding the influence of core values on students’ social development is essential. This study investigated the relationship between the implementation of the Department of Education (DepEd) core values and the social development of Grade 9 students in the Mlang Central District. Employing a descriptive-correlational research design, data was collected through a structured survey questionnaire administered to a randomly selected sample of 270 students.Findings revealed that the DepEd core values Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makakalikasan, and Makabansa were perceived to be fully implemented within the school setting. Likewise, students demonstrated a considerable degree of social development, particularly in areas such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Correlational analysis indicated a statistically significant relationship between the level of practice of core values and the students’ social development outcomes. These results suggest that fostering core values within the educational framework has a positive impact on students’ holistic development. Nonetheless, certain indicators in both constructs received relatively lower mean scores, indicating areas for improvement. It is recommended that targeted programs be developed to reinforce underdeveloped aspects of core values. Future research may benefit from a qualitative approach and the inclusion of additional variables to gain a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the interplay between core values and the students’ social development outcomes. These results suggest that fostering core values within the educational framework has a positive impact on students’ holistic development. Nonetheless, certain indicators in both constructs received relatively lower mean scores, indicating areas for improvement. It is recommended that targeted programs be developed to reinforce underdeveloped aspects of core values. Future research may benefit from a qualitative approach and the inclusion of additional variables to gain a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the interplay between core values and student development.